ACEEE Issues Guidance to Help States With Proposed Federal Energy-Efficiency Rules
WASHINGTON, D.C.—The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) has released a step-by-step guide to help states document and claim emissions reductions resulting from building energy codes as a means of complying with their obligations under the proposed federal Clean Power Plan. The paper is the first in a series of guidance documents that demonstrate how a state can take advantage of energy efficiency in its compliance plan. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed Clean Power Plan establishes state-specific targets for carbon dioxide emissions from existing power plants. The proposed plan allows states to employ end-use energy efficiency to comply with the emissions targets. However, it provides little detail on how states would go about obtaining credit for these policies and programs. By collecting technical support documents, previous EPA guidance on crediting of air quality benefits from energy efficiency, and approved state implementation plans, ACEEE’s guidance provides states with a step-by-step and comprehensive approach to including building codes in their plans.
